Region: Belgium

The role of IP offices “will drastically change”: BOIP director general on developing a "fully inclusive" strategic plan

The Benelux Office for Intellectual Property’s new director general discusses the organisation's new strategic plan, aligning priorities with the EUIPO, and exchanging best practices on IP awareness, ADR and AI.

22 August 2024

New BOIP director general appointed; EUIPO shuffles internal structure; Qatar Madrid fee adjustment – IP office updates

In this latest update, we look at the USPTO planning to host an AI and NIL roundtable, the Peruvian IP office ordering the blocking of 23 pirate sites, and much more.

03 July 2024

Brussels courts ban rebranding of generic parallel imports

These decisions are the first by national courts to interpret the CJEU’s preliminary ruling in Joined Cases C‑253/20 and C‑254/20.

13 June 2024

Specialist Chapter: Benelux Sees Surge in Post-Pandemic Trademark Filings

Featured in The Trademark Prosecution Review 2025

Trademark and design filings in the Benelux remained strong throughout the pandemic years, making it more crucial than ever to have a robust understanding of the unified trademark law and how to enforce rights.

27 October 2023

“No justification”: study pushes back on proposals for EU GI domain name alert system

Study finds few domain disputes over GIs in the EU, CCTLD operators concerned about burden of proposed system.

20 January 2023

“Proud heritage, bright future” – what the Benelux IP Office has planned for 2023 and beyond

In an exclusive guest post, the deputy director general of the Benelux Office for Intellectual Property, Hugues Derème, reveals some of the upcoming initiatives the office has planned.

01 December 2022

Benelux: Trademark procedures and strategies

Featured in World Trademark Review Yearbook 2022/2023

The Benelux Convention on Intellectual Property does not provide for protection of unregistered trademarks, the only exception being the protection of well-known marks as prescribed by the Paris Convention. When no registration exists, no trademark rights can be invoked. Timely registration is therefore of the essence.

21 October 2022

Counterfeit hotspots in the Benelux region that brand owners must be aware of

Featured in Physical marketplace counterfeit hotspots

In a new edition from our long-running series on physical marketplaces that reportedly engage in the trade of counterfeit goods, we head to the Benelux area.

05 September 2022

Exclusive roundtable – how four leading IP offices are cracking down on scams and fraudulent activity

Scams targeting trademark owners are fast becoming commonplace and increasingly sophisticated. Four leading IP offices share their insights on which scams are most prevalent, what you can do to stay safe, the resources on offer to help and how offices are collaborating across borders to fight fraudsters.

05 August 2021

“The bedrock of a good D&I strategy is listening to your team”: how Crowell & Moring is creating positive change in the workplace

Judith Bussé, counsel and a member of the Crowell & Moring IP group, reveals how the firm’s hiring practices and formal actions are part of a proactive effort to create positive change on a national and international level.

05 May 2021